Enough of It All - Move and Pray!

Photo by Meg Jenson on Unsplash

Enough with the hand wringing.
Enough with the despair.
Enough waiting for someone else to have enough faith ...
Enough to change the world ...
Enough ...

Enough waiting on Republicans or Democrats or Independents.
Enough waiting on public opinion.

Enough complaining and waiting and procrastinating as governments do ...
What they do best ...
And worst ...
Wait and do nothing ...
Or worse ...

Enough passive hope and more active hoping.
Enough finger-pointing, shouting down, name-calling ...
Enough!

Today, the little faith we have is what we bring to our active cry.
That little faith says the impossible and ...
Activates the impossible.

"Move, mountain of hate!"
"Move, mountain of fear!"
"Move, mountain of injustice!"
"Move, mountain of oppressive sin!"
"Move, mountain of terror, intimidation, bigotry, and torment."
"Move, mountain of convulsing hopelessness."
"Move!"

Our faith is small, but ..
What faith we have, we bring to this mountain and cry, "Move!"

Do something bold today.

Get Moving. Others Will Follow

No one is going to come along with you until you start moving.

Now one is going to see it, get it, or understand it until you live it and demonstrate it.

Do not wait for a vote of your peers or critics to start living a life of faith, compassion, or obedience to God.

If you are going to follow Jesus, it will be a counter cultural move.

Do not expect applause or ease.

Do expect to be called names -- it does not matter which ones.

You may be called a "liberal" by some or a "fundy" by others.

Forget it and move on. Some will call you fascist and others, a communist.

Neither will be true and it still does not matter.

They do not get it. They cannot get it. They have never seen it.
It is a different paradigm.

You are neither liberal nor conservative and you are, at the same time, both.

Let them scratch their heads in utter confusion over you.

You are like the wind that blows here and there, said Jesus, moved by the Spirit.

Let the Spirit move you and hear the word, "Move!"

No one is going to come along with you until you start moving ...

But ...
Once you start moving ...
Some will.

They are just people ...
They need to see it to get it.

Don't judge them... just do what you were called to do ...

Follow Jesus.

Lord of this morning,
Light of this day,
Master of the darkness that daily dies,
God of night and light and all that is,
I come ...
Empty handed, I come.
I bring to the morning and the day, nothing,
Nothing,
Nothing, but me ...myself .... my self,
Undone, unfettered, unconditionally empty.
I come.

Our Father ....

My loved one's Father .... Ours ...
Father of my dearest friends and most adamant enemies if I have any ....
Ours ... Father of the nations scattered,
Father of the stranger ...
Ours ....

Hallowed be Thy Name.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God Almighty. Thy name is Holy.
Thy Name ... vast, uncontainable, unfathomable, yet ...
Revealed to us as "I Am."
You ARE ... Hallowed be THY NAME.

Thy Kingdom ...

Thy rule .... Thy dominating, liberating, rejuvenating Kingdom of Love, of Life, of Wonder ...
COME!
I come. Thy Kingdom Come ...
Come to this house, to this body, to my church, my city, my nation ...
My world.
WE come, OUR Father ...
Send forth Thy Kingdom in us and through us.

Thy Will,

That which we know in part, in tiny part, Thy will, perfect and all-knowing will of grace and power, of holiness and kindness,
Thy will be DONE!!!
DONE!!!!
DONE!!!
Start here and now with me, Oh God.

Straighten up my calendar. Schedule my appointments. Prepare my words. Master my thoughts. Guide me in Thy paths. Thy will be done.

On earth

... on the ground upon which we walk as in Heaven.
Heaven! "Eye hath not seen, nor ear hear, neither hath it entered into the heart of man ..." what You have prepared for us who love you.
Heaven! Your will! Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!

Give us, this day, our daily bread ....
As You have every day of our lives.
Thank you!

And you will again! Thank You!I trust you. I don't know how you are going to do it ...
And I am not sure when, but You always provide.
Thank you.

And You are OUR Father, so,
So, Dear God ...
Daily bread of healing for my friends who are sick ...
I name them before You...
For those in prison....
In distress....
On the streets ....
Struggling with decisions ...
Burdened with depression ....
Tortured for their faith ...
On battlefields ...
On mission fields .....
Just far afield ....

And those waiting for a word of encouragement ... maybe from me ...

And those waiting to hear the good news of repentance possible in Your Kingdom of turn-rounds ...

And those ...
Lost in a wilderness of ambiguity.
You are our provider.
You provide for Your work and for Your people.

Thank You.

And lead us not into temptation ....
Not that you would lead us into it...
It is a jungle out there and there are many snares.
We need You to handle some of those for us and the rest ...
In us and through us.
People are tripping up all the time, discrediting Your name and work.
I could, God forbid, be one of those.
I am weak and susceptible to temptation.
Deliver me for Thy Names' sake.

Give us strength and deliver us from evil.
I will not be preoccupied with such. You are my deliverance.
I will not fear for You, Oh Lord are able to ....
Deliver us from evil.

And again I ask ... lead me away from those snares that have snare us in the past ...
Lead us away in the future You have prepared for us ...
And handle any evil that may threaten me.

Thine is the kingdom! It is not mine ...
Except that Your Son has invited me to participate.
Thine is the Power ...
And You have shared much of that with me!

Thank You! I praise Your Name!

Thine is the Glory!!!!

Glory!!!! Glory!!!! Glory !!!!

And this part amazes me Lord of Amazing things ....
FOREVER .... and ever ... and ever .....
Amen!

And I pray in the Name of the One who taught me to pray this way ...
And teaches me daily ...
And today ...
In Jesus' Name.